Fatigue is a common complaint among patients with cirrhosis with many
possible contributing factors, including severity of liver disease, anemia,
and cardiopulmonary complications. In this study, researchers determined
the relationship between fatigue and quality of life in cirrhotic patients
and the factors that contribute to fatigue.

Fatigue was assessed with the Fisk Fatigue Severity Scale (FFSS) and
the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), a standardized exercise test that measures
distance walked in 6 minutes. Quality of life (QOL) was assessed with
the NIDDK-QA.

Severity of fatigue was correlated with quality of life scores. Multivariate
analyses were performed to identify independent factors associated with
fatigue and poor performance on the 6MWT. Then the additional influence
of anemia was tested for each.